Show Notes
Catherine Parr, the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII, is popularly known as the wife who 'survived', but why did Henry choose her, and how did she feel about becoming his queen? Although her story lacks the tragic romance of Anne Boleyn, the scandal of Catherine Howard, or the politics surrounding the life of Anne of Cleves, I hope to show that Catherine Parr was the cleverest of Henry VIII's six wives. Historian Elizabeth Norton, in her book on Catherine Parr says, ‘the woman who would become the sixth and last queen of Henry VIII was born into a prominent, but not royal family, and during her childhood, Catherine can never have dreamt of the future that lay in store for her.’
More from Stories of the Tudors & Stuarts
Entangled in a web of intrigue, from the glittering Palace of Whitehall to the cells of the Tower of London, Bess Raleigh endures tragedy and injustice, becoming a resilient, determined woman, who takes nothing for granted.
Frances Walsingham is the only surviving child of Queen Elizabeth’s ‘spymaster’ Sir Francis Walsingham. Better educated than most men, her father arranges her marriage to warrior poet Sir Philip Sidney.After Philip Sidney is killed in battle, Frances becomes Countess of Essex, and is banished from court after her husband Sir Robert Devereaux’s rebellion against the queen.
A Woman Ahead of Her Time Born Penelope Devereux, she was the daughter of the queen’s nemesis, Lettice Knollys, and elder sister of the ill-fated Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Her father died in Ireland and her mother was often absent, so Penelope had to grow up fast and look after her younger brothers and sister. Her mother’s secret marriage to the queen’s favourite, Robert Dudley, did nothing to help Penelope. In this podcast, I’ll explore some lesser-known insights into the character of Lady Penelope.
This podcast continues my Elizabethan series looking at a new perspective on the history of Sir Walter Raleigh, the subject of my book Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer. I’d been planning an Elizabethan series for some time, as my aim was to tell the stories of the Tudors from Owen Tudor’s first meeting with Queen Catherine of Valois through to the death of Queen Elizabeth. I decided to show the fascinating world of the Elizabethan court through the eyes of the queen’s favourite courtiers, and chose Raleigh as he had a special relationship as Captain of the queen’s guard. In this podcast, we’re exploring the man behind the myths, the man Queen Elizabeth trusted… then betrayed? Explorer, soldier, poet—Sir Walter Raleigh lived a life of danger and ambition. Uncover his remarkable story in Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer https://mybook.to/Raleigh
Sir Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, is a favourite of Queen Elizabeth, so why does he lead a rebellion? This podcast set out some of the historical research behind the book, and includes a short excerpt from the audiobook, narrated by Nigel Peever.